Denver Nuggets: Evaluating Emmanuel Mudiay So Far

Overall

Emmanuel Mudiay is putting up a respectable basic stat line, but as you can see, the advanced statistics aren’t too kind to the Nuggets’ shiny new cornerstone. That’s not to say there are cracks in the foundation, however, since there was bound to be a steep learning curve in his first NBA season, let alone in his first NBA season as a starter.

Not even a month into the season, the frustration of adjusting to the NBA level and losing so many games was clearly starting to get to Mudiay, spilling over into a somewhat heated exchange with head coach Michael Malone:

That kind of minor incident shouldn’t be blown up into questions about his attitude, and all the damning evidence shouldn’t sway anyone into thinking this kid is going to be a draft bust. It’s far too early to make any definitive statements like that, especially with the flashes of pure brilliance we’ve seen from him thus far.

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At 19 years old, Mudiay is going to have his highs and lows as an NBA rookie. He’s going to struggle for the most part, as are the Denver Nuggets in another tanking season. But these trials and tribulations should be beneficial to Mudiay in the long run, as long as the front office moves toward fostering a winning environment and avoids a Philadelphian path of player development.